canopy final cuts help needed

[Jwputnam]

I am ready to do the final cuts on the canopy, but I can't find any mention of the placement of the rear cut. I know that the front gets cut with a 3/32" overhang, but the plans would seem to indicate that the aft cut simply follows the rear bow exactly. But THEN I noticed on "Mike"s RV-9" web site that he made the rear cut with a 1" overhang.

The plans also do not give a dimension for the side cuts, but again I see on Mike's site that he cut them 3/8" below the frames.

Anyone have some knowledge here? I'd be very appreciative. Thanks!

[cajunwings]

On my 9 Slider I left about a 1" overhang at the rear bow. I planned for a fiberglass rear skirt from the beginning and this extra inch is just more bonding area. With 1" overhang I still had well over a 1" gap between the aft edge of the canopy and the aft fuselage skin. Used Sika everywhere and have a generous fillet under the overhang. Front overhang was cut a little long and sanded it to the final dimension with a long flat sanding board. Canopy sides ended up about 1/8" above the square tubing side rails and have the triangular Sika fillet on the inside. Nibble away at it with small cuts and sneak up on the final size. Every time I removed some material from the edges the canopy would relax and change shape a little and drape over the frame differently. My 1 piece side and rear skirts were layed up in place and bonded directly to the plexi.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer

[terrye]

From memory, the plans or the manual says the rear canopy overhang is between 1/2" and 1". I assumed this was from the centerline of the rivets not the end of the 1/2" rear hoop. On my canopy, the "best fit" with the frame resulted in a cut where the rear of the canopy was starting to curve upwards, obviously this was going to be a problem when installing the rear skirts. I consulted Vans and the canopy manufacturer and ended up cutting the canopy 1/2" from the centerline of the rivets and sanding the upward curve so the minimum thickness at the canopy trailing edge was about 1/8".

[Jwputnam]

thank you guys. I'll go with the 1" at the rear.

I am also going with the SikaFlex process and fiberglass rear skirt. I am not sure just exactly how the side rails are glued yet. I haven't seen this mentioned on a web site yet, but I am continually searching. Not sure what "triangular Sika" means in your statement: "Canopy sides ended up about 1/8" above the square tubing side rails and have the triangular Sika fillet on the inside."

[airguy]

You can always cut it shorter, but you can't stretch it...

[Iluke]

Originally Posted by cajunwings

On my 9 Slider I left about a 1" overhang at the rear bow. I planned for a fiberglass rear skirt from the beginning and this extra inch is just more bonding area. With 1" overhang I still had well over a 1" gap between the aft edge of the canopy and the aft fuselage skin. Used Sika everywhere and have a generous fillet under the overhang. Front overhang was cut a little long and sanded it to the final dimension with a long flat sanding board. Canopy sides ended up about 1/8" above the square tubing side rails and have the triangular Sika fillet on the inside. Nibble away at it with small cuts and sneak up on the final size. Every time I removed some material from the edges the canopy would relax and change shape a little and drape over the frame differently. My 1 piece side and rear skirts were layed up in place and bonded directly to the plexi.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer

Don- I'm planning my skirts now. How did you handle finishing the the inboard edges of your glass skirts as you laid them up in place? Or did you lay them up over a release agent, remove for trimming, and then bond the finished product?
-Ivan